


Rainy Day

by RainRaven



Category: Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-15
Updated: 2014-01-15
Packaged: 2018-01-08 19:32:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1136526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainRaven/pseuds/RainRaven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A rainy day provides the perfect excuse for friends to hang out after school. Pre-Conception goofing around and getting to know each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rainy Day

To Naoki the best thing about rainy school days was that his friends almost always got to visit. His family's apartment was closest to the school, which made it the perfect place to wait out the storm. At least, that was the excuse Isamu and Chiaki always gave their parents, and it had worked perfectly so far. As for Naoki's parents, it's not like they'd care about the surprise company. More than half the time they weren't even around. Like today; they were going to be gone on business for another week at least.

This particular rainy day, Chiaki had stayed late at the school to discuss things with some of her teachers. So Naoki had brought the TV and game system into his room, moving the computer to the side to make room for the TV and setting the system and games on the nearby bookshelf. Now Naoki and Isamu were ignoring their homework for a chance to play video games together in comfort. Only it was a game Naoki wasn't very good at. In fact, Isamu had just beaten him for the twelfth time in a row. Leaving Naoki to stare at the TV screen for a moment before just tossing the controller to the side on the bed. Isamu couldn't resist laughing at that reaction. Naoki glared in response, but that only encouraged his friend to give a teasing grin and wrap one arm around Naoki's shoulders. "Don't be such a sore loser. You just need more practice!"

Naoki's only response was to make a snorting sound that was somewhere between annoyance and amusement. Which caused Isamu to laugh again, so Naoki shoved him away.

"Hey, watch the hat!" Isamu tried to glare at him. But he was too amused to fake it, so the grin was back after a moment. "That's alright, I'll let you practice by yourself for now. Then maybe you'll stand a chance against me later. _Maybe._ "

"Then what will you do?"

Isamu had already slid off the bed and was digging in his bag. His answer was to show the item he retrieved with a broad grin; a bottle of black nail polish.

"Ah. It's been a while since you've done that."

"Because Chiaki's been hanging out with us more. I can't do this in front of her! And I can't do it at home either. My dad and brother would _kill_ me."

"That's why you only paint your toenails, right?"

"Yeah. I always wear socks or something anyway, so they don't notice."

"I don't know how you can stand wearing so much clothing all the time." Naoki glanced over at his friend, who was now sitting on the floor and already painting the first nail. "...Or how you can bend like that in the first place."

Isamu shrugged, seemingly unbothered by the contortionist position he'd managed to work himself into. "I don't know how you can be comfortable with how much you _don't_ wear. You didn't even have a shirt on under your jacket the other day, did you?"

Naoki just shook his head. But he had to chuckle at the exasperated sigh he got in response. He went back to the game and they were both silent for a while, while Isamu was too focused on painting his toenails to properly talk. At least until he finished; then it was back to chatting.

"There, done! Hey Naoki, I didn't miss a spot or anything did I?"

"Don't think so."

"You didn't even look! Come on man, it looks perfect to me but how can I be sure without a second opinion!?"

"It has to be perfect?"

"Of _course_ it does! I always make sure every part of my appearance is absolutely perfect and-"

"Did you hear that?" Naoki could have sworn he just heard the front door...

"Don't try to change the subject!" Isamu was using the brush from his polish to point at his friend, clearly displeased. "Not cool, man. You know how much I hate it when-"

Whatever Isamu was about to say got cut off when the door to Naoki's room opened and Chiaki stepped in. "The front door was unlocked, so I let myself in."

"Hi." Naoki smiled at her to let her know he didn't mind. He'd actually left the door unlocked on purpose, hoping she'd have time to stop by. "How'd it go."

"As well as could be expected. But I still haven't been able to speak to Miss Takao. She's always so busy..." Chiaki sighed. Only then did she seem to notice Isamu. He had frozen in place with his mouth hanging open, still curled up with the brush in his hand. "Isamu?"

That was all it took to unfreeze him. "I can explain! See this isn't... I was just..."

"It's nice work."

"...Huh?"

"It's nice work," she repeated. She walked over and sat right next to him on the floor. "I'm a little jealous really. I can never get my nails to look that good. Especially not my toenails."

"Oh. Uh... Thanks." Normally he'd let a compliment like that go right to his head, but he was too surprised for bragging now. He'd thought she'd tease him, since they teased each other all the time. But it was always in good fun. Chiaki had learned to tell when teasing would actually hurt him, and was usually careful to avoid doing so. A fact Isamu hadn't realized yet.

But she wasn't done surprising him. "Do mine." Isamu was so caught off guard by that he just blinked at her. She pulled a light pink nail polish from her own bag, and handed it to him. "Do mine."

"Uh... sure." Isamu untangled himself so he could sit properly, and put the lid back on his own polish before taking the bottle from her. "Oh, I've been wanting to try this brand! I can never afford it though." He was smiling now as he took her offered hand and began to carefully apply the polish to her nails.

"It's pricey, but it's worth it. And it lasts longer, so you don't have to reapply it as much."

"I can tell the difference in quality. It's not nearly as tacky as the stuff I've been using. I think I'll have to get myself some of this once my other stuff runs out." Isamu smiled as he started feeling more comfortable with the conversation. "There's a trick to making polish last even longer too. All you have to do is..."

Naoki just grinned, and quietly went back to his game while his friends bonded over nail polish.


End file.
